construction and design

High Point, N.C., and Monroe, Mich. — La-Z-Boy Incorporated has opened a newly renovated showroom at High Point Market in Furniture Plaza, High Point, N.C. In addition, Bob Lucian, senior vice president and chief financial officer, will retire at the end of the fiscal year, effective April 26, 2025. Taylor Luebke, vice president, finance and treasurer, will succeed Lucian on January 1, 2025. Luebke joined La-Z-Boy Incorporated in 2021 and has held roles of increasing responsibility, most recently working in close partnership with the CFO. Lucian joined La-Z-Boy Incorporated in …

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Atlanta — Smalls Sliders, known for its innovative modular restaurant design, has named six new states that are now open for franchise development: Illinois, Nevada, Ohio, South Dakota, Virginia and West Virginia. The brand now has active development across 30 states. In addition to its expansion into these new states, Smalls Sliders has officially sold out in eight states, with Arizona and Georgia being the latest states to sell our initial phase development. These states join Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri and Mississippi, which sold out initial phase development earlier …

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Birmingham, Ala. — On Oct. 21, leading furniture design retailer Ballard Designs opened its first Alabama location in downtown Birmingham’s historic Hardwick Building. “Our beautiful new store [is] a playground for home decorators,” says Karen Mooney, president of Ballard Designs. “Birmingham [now has] an exciting, go-to source for home decor as vibrant and colorful as the murals that help make downtown a magnet for art and design lovers.” Situated along the popular Rotary Trail, Ballard’s newest location occupies the renovated Hardwick Building’s street level with restaurants and other businesses filling …

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Seattle — Specialty outdoor retailer REI Co-op has announced its lineup of 2025 store openings, with a sneak peek into 2026. Stores will open in six communities next spring and summer, including the California cities of Carlsbad, Chico and Elk Grove as well as in Amherst, N.Y; Durango, Colo.; and Lynnwood, Wash. REI also intends to open in Prosper, Texas, in 2026, which will join a previously announced St. George, Utah, store. Additional stores for 2026 will be announced as leases are finalized. “Cities that will have new stores represent …

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— By David Shove-Brown, Robert Ervin & Katy Curtis — Expert strategies for aesthetic, functional and sustainable spaces. In recent years, there has been a noticeable shift in dining preferences, with more people gravitating toward outdoor environments rather than traditional indoor atmospheres, largely influenced by the pandemic even years later. This is evident across various settings, from bustling sidewalk cafes to outdoor-themed restaurants and even rooftop gardens and bars. Designing outdoor dining spaces has evolved into an art form that balances aesthetics, functionality and a strong connection with one’s surroundings. …

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Atlanta — Zaxbys™, a rapidly expanding Georgia-based QSR franchise, will make its debut in the state of Maryland next year. A newly signed territory agreement will open three locations along Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The first Zaxbys in Maryland is slated to open in Cambridge in late 2025, with additional locations in Easton and West Ocean City/Berlin to follow. The first Maryland Zaxbys location will be built near Walmart in Cambridge, with a modern farmhouse design. Another location is planned near a new hospital development in Easton, and the third will …

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— By Katie Lee — Mountain Mike’s Pizza, a Newport Beach, California-based family-style pizza chain for more than 45 years, continues to scale the heights toward the peak of franchise success. Born out of the Bay Area in 1978, Mountain Mike’s Pizza started franchising in 1981 and grew steadily and regionally over the ensuing decades. More recently, Chris Britt and Ed St. Geme, former multi-unit Burger King franchisees and Stanford alumni who frequented the chain in college, came along and shook things up. In 2017, the pair acquired the company …

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Danbury, Conn. — An Ethan Allen distribution center located in Old Fort, N.C., was recently impacted by the significant flooding caused by Hurricane Helene. The distribution center, which primarily ships custom-made home furnishings to select wholesale customers, has not yet resumed daily shipping operations due to limited road accessibility for tractor trailers. Recovery efforts have already begun, including restoration of electricity and internet connectivity. The company’s major upholstery operations, which are located in central North Carolina, were not significantly disrupted by Hurricane Helene and are currently operating at normal capacity. …

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Phoenix — RED Development has begun construction on PV, the $2 billion redevelopment of a 100-acre site in Phoenix formerly occupied by Paradise Valley Mall. Phase I of the project will include retail, dining and entertainment space anchored by Whole Foods Market; AVE Paradise Valley, a 400-unit multifamily community; and a 77,000-square-foot co-headquarters for Fender Musical Instruments Corp. Each component of the development will be linked via centrally located parks. A groundbreaking was recently held for the office portion of the development — a three-story building designed by SmithGroup to …

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Roseville, Minn. — Rosedale Center, a 1,142,972-square-foot shopping center located in the heart of the Twin Cities, has completed construction of a new 80,000-square-foot DICK’S location. The grand opening is scheduled for Oct. 26. The new DICK’S store features golf hitting bays with TrackMan technology, a HitTrax multisport cage, House of Cleats, equipment services counter, an expanded premium footwear selection and apparel, accessories and equipment from the hottest brands. JLL’s retail development partner, Poag Development Group, led construction management of the project at the parcel formerly occupied by Herberger’s. “Each …

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